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Featured Article:
The Society of the Divine Word: Ahead of its Time on Civil Rights
- From its earliest days, the Society of the Divine Word (SVD)-the largest
Catholic missionary order in the world-has welcomed people from other cultures
to sit with them at the table of Christ as equals. This willingness to engage
with people of other races, creeds and ethnic origins was never more evident
than when the society opened the first seminary for African Americans. Not
only was the seminary established decades before the Civil Rights movement of
the 1950s and 1960s, but it was established in the Deep South where racial
segregation ran the hottest.
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| Black Catholic Young Adults |
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Camp Abbey Retreat Center
By John Smestad, Jr., Director
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 Dear Youth Ministers/Campus Ministers:
Our office is delighted to announce that we are
now taking group reservations for day or overnight events at the Camp Abbey
Retreat Center. As you may know, the Archdiocese of New Orleans entered into
a 25 year lease with St. Joseph Abbey and is completing a $3.3 million
renovation of Camp Abbey, transforming it into a retreat center available
for rental August through May. A youth summer camp program will take place
in June and July beginning in 2012.
The basic configuration of the facility includes:
- 5 cabin buildings each containing 2 dorms that accommodate 20 youth and 2 adults each, for a grand total of 220 people.
- Each dorm includes 10 bunk beds, bathroom with private showers, and a counselor/chaperone suite of bedroom and private bathroom; the configuration complies with safe environment policy
- Chapel with seating for 150
- Dining Hall with seating for 250 at mealtime and full commercial kitchen to prepare excellent, youth-friendly meals
- 2 small meeting rooms/break-out spaces that can accommodate 15 people each
- 2 larger meeting rooms that can accommodate 50 people each, or be combined for 100 people
- Infirmary building with 5 chaperone suites and nurse exam room (nurse only on duty during summer camp)
- Large,outdoor covered pavilion
- Swimming pool
- Basketball/volleyball court (hard surface)
- Bonfire/campfire sites
- Infirmary building with 4 additional counselor/chaperone suites
- Large open field suitable for flag football, softball, ultimate Frisbee, etc., and nearby lake
Additional amenities include:
- Central air-conditioning/heating in all buildings
- Security system that allows for curfew monitoring by chaperones
- Built-in audio-visual systems in meeting rooms, dining hall, and chapel
- All Catholic liturgical supplies furnished in chapel including vestments, sacred vessels, etc.
- Retreat resource library including 200 New American Bibles, icebreaker books, prayer resources, retreat activity books, etc.
- Refreshment area in the meeting rooms with sink, refrigerator, coffee maker, etc.
- Outdoor Stations of the Cross
- Vending machines
- Campus-wide public address system
- Campus-wide wireless internet
Types of events hosted:
- Youth group/CYO retreats
- Confirmation retreats
- High school retreats
- Student leadership workshops
- Camping/sports weekends
- Young adult retreats
- Whatever we can make the facility do for you!
Reservation Process:
At this time, we are taking reservations for dates beginning in
August 2011 through the following process:
- Call Laurie Neely at the CYO Office at 504-836-0551, ext. 3222 to inquire about available dates
- Submit the "initial reservation form" provided here and non-refundable deposit
- Receive a written confirmation guaranteeing your event
- Next (summer 2011 at the earliest,) you will receive a final "rental agreement" outlining the confirmed reservation, legal requirements and facility policies. This signed rental agreement will be due back within 10 days of receipt. If we do not receive this by the deadline, your reservation may be cancelled.
- More than three months prior to your event date, you may reduce your space and apply the original deposit on a pro-rated basis
- Seven days prior to your event your final headcount for overnight packages and/or meals is due to our office. Any "no-shows" will be charged at full price
- Invoices will be payable upon receipt
- Reservations may be made for up to two years ahead
Questions about the Camp Abbey Retreat Center
facilities can be directed to either John Smestad, Jr. CYO Director at
504-836-0551, ext 3223, or Maruchi Palomo, Camp Abbey Director, at ext. 3230.
Questions about calendar availability should be directed to Laurie Neely,
secretary, at 504-836-0551, ext. 3222.
We look forward to serving and helping you have
the best possible retreat or event at the Camp Abbey Retreat Center.
Sincerely,
John Smestad, Jr.
Director
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